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Monitoring pollution of coastal lagoon using Liza aurata kidney oxidative stress and genetic endpoints: an integrated biomarker approach

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Abstract

Despite the importance of fish kidney in several functions (immune, metabolism and excretion of xenobiotics) its use in coastal water biomonitoring focusing on protection and damage is scarce. Five critical sites in Ria de Aveiro (Portugal; Barra—BAR, Gafanha—GAF, Rio Novo do Principe—RIO; Laranjo—LAR and Vagos—VAG) were assessed in comparison to a reference site (Torreira—TOR), focusing on Liza aurata kidney antioxidant defences versus damage responses. Non protein thiols were higher at RIO (near a former bleached kraft pulp mill effluent) and total glutathione at RIO, LAR (mercury contaminated) and VAG (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons contaminated). Catalase and glutathione S-transferase activities were higher at RIO and LAR whereas no differences were found in glutathione peroxidase activity. However, glutathione reductase was higher at BAR (subject to naval traffic), GAF (harbour water area), RIO and LAR. No peroxidative damage was observed despite the decreased DNA integrity at RIO and VAG. The integrated biomarker response index ranked impacted sites as: LAR>RIO>BAR>GAF>VAG>TOR.

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Acknowledgments

The financial supports from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia—FCT (Government of Portugal) provided through POCI/MAR/61195/2004, SFRH/BD/27584/2006, SFRH/BPD/26970/2006, SFRH/BPD/34326/2006 and by the CESAM—Aveiro University Research Institute are gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CESAM & Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal

    M. Oliveira, I. Ahmad, M. Pacheco & M. A. Santos

  2. CIMA & Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal

    V. L. Maria

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  1. M. Oliveira
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  2. I. Ahmad
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  3. V. L. Maria
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Correspondence to M. Oliveira.

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Oliveira, M., Ahmad, I., Maria, V.L. et al. Monitoring pollution of coastal lagoon using Liza aurata kidney oxidative stress and genetic endpoints: an integrated biomarker approach. Ecotoxicology 19, 643–653 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-009-0436-9

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